Improvement in earth-augers



ble auger-point.

UNITED STATES PATENT l OFFICE.

ALFRED W. MORGAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EARTH-AUGERS.

, Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 184,257, datedNovember 14, 1876; application filed April l0, 1876.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED W. MORGAN, of Indianapolis, county of Marion,State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Well-Boring Apparatusfor loosening and removing earth from wells, of which the following is adescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention consists of the construction, arrangement, and operation ofdevices, as hereinafter described and claimed, whereby I am, first,enabled to bore a hole or well of any desired size in diameter, and toany desired depth; and, second, to remove the loosened earth from theWell by means of an elevator, so arranged as to travel around in thewell and hold its relative position at all times to the boring-shaft,and at the same time to elevate the loosened earth to the top of thewell, where it is deposited either on the ground or into Suitableconveyances for future disposal. In the drawings, Figure 1 represents anele.

vation of myimproved apparatus, showing the general arrangement of theparts. Fig. 2 is a side view of the elevator-buckets and chain or rope,and the manner in which they are op-v erated on the pulleys. Fig. 3 is asectional view of thestationary bevelpinion and socket in which theboring-shaft revolves. Fig. 4 represents a side and front View of thecoupling that unites the upper boring-shaft to the iirst section ofboring-shaft below, or other shafts. Fig. 5 is a plan view of theadjusta- Fig. 6 represents a plan and side view of the adjustablereamer. Fig. 7

- represent-sthe clamp-lug as used on a rope.

The frame of my apparatus is of the usual construction, and consists ofthe sills A3, corner upright standards A, and cap A1. Secured to, andimmediatelyr under the cap A, and extending out sidewise on each side,is the crossbeam lV, and to the outer ends thereof are secured the twoguide-shafts B R', the lower ends of which are also secured to the sillsA3; and on these guide-shafts R R is attached the slide or cross-head K,in the manner shown in Fig. l. 0n the under side of the cross-head K issecured the dan ge E, as shown. The an ge E forms part of thebevel-pinion El, and is connected thereto by the neck Y, the interiorarrangement of which is shown in Fig. 3,

and will be hereafter described. The boringshaft B is vprovided at theupper end with a swivel curved head, B5, in such a manner as v to allowthe curved head to adjust itself to the sweep C. The head B5 is forked,and has a sheave,'D1, at the upper end, and sheave D2 just above thepivot-joint. And at the rear end of the sweep O is attached an eyebolt,Z, to which is attached the end of the rope d, which passes over sheaveD2, and then down to sheave D that is attached to the sweep, then upover the sheave D1, andis there made fast to the sweep at any convenientposition. The design of the arrangement of rope and sheaves is toelevate the sweep when desired. The boring-slaftB extends downwardthrough the square hole in the sheave BI that revolves in thecap A1 ofthe frame, and then through the set-collar B2 above the cross-head K;then through the cross-head K and stationary bevelwheel El E, and isthen secured in the upper end of the coupling E4 by means of the bolt h,as shown in Figs. `1 and 4; and the extendedpart B4 of the shaft B isalso coupled to the coupling E4, and is made of any length required; allof which will be hereafter more fully described.

Immediately under the cap Al of the frame is secured a cross bar orbeam, W, and at each end thereof is secured the upright guide-rods RB',the lower ends of which are secured to the sills A3 of the frame in sucha manner as to leave the guide-rods parallel. with each other.l On theseguiderods is secured the cross-head K by anysnitable boxes, so that thecross-head is free tobe raised or lowered when required, by means of theangle-rods M and rope M. The angle-rod M is secured to the upper side ofthe cross-head K, and the rope M is secured to the upper angle thereof,and extends upward over a pulley (l not shown) in the cap A1; then therope passes down and is secured to the drum L3, which is operated bymeans of the large pinion L2 on the drum L3, and the small pinion Ll onthe crank-shaft L by the crank L4, in the usual manner.

The stationary bevel-pinion El is formed with a neck, Y, and a flange,E, above. The iiange E is secured to the under side of the crosshead Kin a permanent manner. The flange E, neck Y, and pinion .El are. cast inabout half-way through the coupling.

one piece, and formed hollow inside, and the boring-shaft B passesthrough it, and is supported in the middle of the pinion E1 by means ofthe sleeves S S. The sleeve S is formed with a ange, to prevent it fromdropping down, and is also provided with a square hole, in which is theboring-rod B, and as the shaft B revolves it carries with it the sleevesS S', that revolve in the bore of the stationary casting that forms theange E, neck Y, and pinion E1, as shown in Fig. 1, and more fully inFig. 3. Immediately under the stationary bevel-pinion E1 theboring-shaft B is provided with a stud or arm, G, on which is journaledthe chain or rope pulleys H H1 of the elevator.

The pulley H is of peculiar constructionthat is, the face of the pulleynearest to the shaft B is ccncaved, and has the small bevelpinion Feither cast therein or otherwise secured to the pulley.

The object of forming the pulley H concaved is to allow the pulleys H H1to operate on the shaft G as 'close to the boring-shaft B as possible,and to get the stationary wheel E1 large enough to give the requirednumber' of revolutions to pinion F, as the pinion F and its attachmentstravel around the stationary pinion E1.

Immediately below the arm G of the shaft B the end of shaft B is securedin the coupling E4 by means of the bolt h. The shaftB being square fitsinto the square socket at the upper end of the coupling E4, and extendsThe lower part of the coupling E4 is formed with a square socket, oneside of which is left open, and the sides EG at the open part are madeto project outward, and are perforated with a keyway, x, in which isinserted the -key E5.

The upper end of the boring-shaft B4 is placed in the square socket ofthe coupling E4 between the projecting sides E3, and the upper end ofthe boring-shaft B4 is provided with a notch, in which the key E5 isdriven when inserted in the keyway a: formed in the projecting sides E3,and thus secure the lower boring-shaft in a firm manner.

At the lower end of the boring-shaft B4 is secured the extension-bittedauger, formed of the plates N N1, and extension auger N3, and theauger-point N2, which will hereafter be described. Above the auger andsecured to the shaft B4 is a clamp, E3, secured by means of a set-screw,E3, in any desired position. The elampE2 is also provided with aprojection stud or shaft, O, on which revolves the lowerelevator-pulleys H3 H4.

The elevator-pulleys H H1 H3 H4 are formed with notches cut at theproper places, to receive and guide the elevator-buckets J, which haveproper lugs a a (shown in Fig. 7) at the sides near the top of thebucket, in which are clamped the wire ropes P or arranged to be attachedto a chain of proper construction, and the lower lugsg of the buckets Jalso clasp the rope or chain to prevent the bucket from tilting orturning over.

The arrangement of the buckets on the rope or chain P, and the man nerinwhich they operate over the pulleysH H1 H3 H4-are clearly shown in Fig.2, and here it will be seen that the buckets J as they commence todescend into the well, after leaving the top pulleys H H1, are carriedback at an angle by the rope or chain P passing over the guide-pulleysw, which are attached to the earth-platform J in such a manner as toallow the earth to fall on the platform J', or into a bucketV attachedthereto, and at the saine time to allow the buckets J to pass theplatform` freely.

The upper shaft Gr of the pulleys H H1 is supported on the outside ofthe pulleys by the brace H3, and the earth-platform J is secured to thecoupling E4 in the manner shown.

As the well becomes deeper and more boring-shaft is required, the chainor ropes P are uncoupled and an extra section of shaft is added betweenthe shaft B4 and B by `nncans ot' extra couplings E4, the lower shaft B4always remaining at the bottom, and the upper shaft B at the top. Afterthe extra length of shaft has been introduced between shaft-s B and B4,then extra sections of chain or rope P, with extra buckets J, are addedto the elevator, and, after being properly secured on the pulleys H H1H3 H4, are made taut by means of the clamp E2 and'set-screw E3 on thelower shaft, or by means of the coupling E4, which allows the lowershaft to tighten the elevator chain or rope before it is secured in thecoupling E4. Y

rIhe extension auger-bits N N1 N3 are se- .cured to the lower end of theboring-shaft B4,

and are constructed and arranged to operate as follows: The bit N issecured permanently to the hub N5 in a spiral manner with a pitch ofnine inches, leaving the extreme diamondshaped pointy in its properposition to freely enter the ground; and to this bit, on the spiralabove the point y, is attached the extended bit N1, which is alsoprovided with a diamond-shaped point, y, and also with a flange, n, asshown in Fig. 5.

By this arrangement of the angers I am enabled to work under and removelarge bowlders, that would otherwise retard the work of excavating theWell, and prevent any side draft to the auger. On the under side of thebits N N1, at their rear and highest edges, is secured an adjustablereamer, N3, the outer edge of which is turned up as at m', and made witha cutting-edge. The body of the reamer is provided with slots fr r, inwhich the bolts are secured that secure it to the bits N1 N. By thisarrangement I am enabled to ream out the edges of the well, and thusrelieve the main bits from the side friction, and also to `increase ordiminish the size of the well.

Having thus described the manner in which my apparatus is constructed, Iwill now de scribe the manner in which it operates.

Power is applied to the sweep C, and, as the shafts B B4 revolve in thestationary bevelpinion E1, the auger-bits N2 N N1 and reamer N3 areallowed to enter the ground with any desired feed from the windlass LL3, and thus loosen upthe earth below the elevator-buckets. At the sametime that the boring-shaft is revolving and the bits are loosening upthe earth the arms Gr and O, with the elevatorpulleys H H1 H3 H4, arerevolved around the stationary bevel-pinion E1, causing the pinion F,that is attached to the elevator-pulleys H H1, to revolve, thus causingthe elevator chain or rope P, with its buckets J, to descend into thewell on one side, and gather up the earth that is loosened by the bits NN1 N2 N3, and to bring up the earth in the buckets J as theelevator-buckets move up, and at the same 'time'the elevator chain andbuckets travel around with the boring-shaft in the Well, thus keepingthe buckets J working at the bottom of the well in the same positionrelative to the bits at all times, and the earth thus elevated isdeposited on the dirt-platform J', as above, where it is conveyed intoany kind of receptacle for its removal from the mouth of the well.

What I claim as new, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a well-boring apparatus, the boringshaft B, provided with an armor projecting stud, G, in the manner shown, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a well-boring apparatus, the coupling E4, provided with a squaresocket at its upper end to receive the shaft B, and an open socket belowto receive the shaft B4, the sides E6 of the open socket being providedwith a keyway, X, to receive the key E5, and hold fast the lower shaftB4, in themanner shown, for the purposes setforth.

3. In a well-boring apparatus, the clamp E2, provided with a stud or.extended shaft, O, and secured to the shaft B4, in the manner shown, forthe purposes set forth.

4. In a well-boring apparatus, in combination with the shaft B4, theauger-plate N, au gerplate N1, and extension-reamer N3, arranged tooperate in the manner shown, for the purposes set forth.

5. In a well-boring apparatus, the swivelhead B5, arranged at the upperend of the upper shaft B, and provided with pulleys D1 D2, arranged tooperate in the manner shown and described.

6. In a well-boring apparatus, the horizontal wheel E1, attached to theunder side of the cross head or bar K, and arranged to be operated torise and fall with the bar K and shaft B, in the manner set forth anddescribed.

7. In a well-borin g apparatus and excavator, the elevator-pulley H,provided with a pinion, F, arranged to revolve on the stud G, and tomesh in gear with the stationary pinion E1, and to revolve on its stud Gat the same time that it revolves with the shaft B, in Ithe mannershown, for the purpose set forth and del scribed.

8. In a well-boring apparatus and excavator, the guide-pulleys w,journaled to the platform J', in such a manner as to guide the elevatorchain or rope P, and allow the earth to be deposited from the buckets Jonto the platform or bucket J', in the manner shown, for the purposesset forth and described. l

9. ln a Well-borin g apparatus and excavator, the brace H2, arranged tosupport the upper elevator-pulleys H H1, in the -manner shown, for thepurposes set forth and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED WHITE MORGAN.

Witnesses E. O. FRrNK, J oHN B. CHADRICK.

